Wedding Venues Cork

Derek & Catherine, December 27th, 2016

We had our wedding in the ambassador hotel on Dec27th 2016. To say we had a wonderful day is an understatement, from start to finish Gillian and the team in the Ambassador Hotel couldn't of done more. From the moment we enquired about having our wedding here we were dealt with in a professional and friendly manner. Any special requests we had were accommodated without any issue. The room for the civil ceremony and the main banqueting suite were beautifully decorated and laid out just as we planned. The food was brilliant the service was second to none and the whole day was seamless. The bridal suite has just been revamped and has a fabulous view over cork city and we also felt like we got great value for money.

We would not hesitate to recommend the ambassador hotel to any couples out there looking for a top class wedding venue. 10/10 for everything A big thanks to Gillian and the rest of the team in the Ambassador for making our wedding day one of the best days we ever hadDerek & Catherine

Ciara Holmes & Kevin Dolan - 31st December 2015

The Ambassador hotel was the most amazing venue for our wedding on this New Year’s Eve just gone. We could not have asked for more, from the moment we first viewed the hotel and met with the manager Eoin, to the time we were leaving after the wedding, everything we needed was accommodated. We had originally booked a venue 2 years prior to our wedding day, but due to a fire we were left with no venue 11 weeks before the wedding, but as they say some things happen for a reason; from the moment we called The Ambassador we had a good feeling. Their primary aim was making sure we got what we wanted, and helping us to realise our perfect day.We were completely won over by the charm of the old building, the beautiful views of Cork city and the old meets new interior décor inside. The staff are so warm and friendly and ready to accommodate whatever we needed especially at such short notice. Eoin, Rhona, Colm, David, Pierre as managers are all fantastic.

The waiting staff and bar staffs are of the highest standard, their attitude and professionalism is outstanding, and everything is done with a smile on their face. The ccommodation is off the highest standard.

From day one, they were there for us and always responsive and helpful. The hotel manager was always contactable, and on many occasions met us on days off etc., in order to get everything done on time. No request was ever too much, from ensuring that booking rooms was simple for our guests to the managers staying in the car park to direct traffic.

The day itself was perfection from the moment we arrived we were greeted by Eoin and the staff in the ambassador, the hotel had worked closely with our florist and I could not believe the décor and how amazing the reception room and ballroom looked.

The highlight has to be the food, the meal was out of this world, and our family & guests continue to praise about the meal that they received. This did not stop them from dancing the night away on the fantastic dance floor, topped up with more delicious evening food.

Every detail was addressed, a separate room was used a chill out room on the night of the wedding with tables and lounge chairs, and we then used it for a second day party the following day.

My husband and I did not have to worry about one detail during the day, a member of the management team was on hand at all times to keep us updated and to ensure smooth running of the night, especially as it was New Year’s Eve.

Our friends and family are still talking about the amazing rooms, food and experience we received at the Ambassador and we couldn’t praise them enough.

Sinead & Scott – Wedding date 22nd February 2014

I can not recommend the Ambassador Hotel enough for Weddings. It being my Wedding day the 2 things I wanted was 1. No stress and 2 for everyone to love the hotel we had chosen. We looked at 8 venues for our Wedding and we were blown away by the Ballroom in The Ambassador. What a hidden treasure! We decided to look at the ambassador based on location but we were so pleasantly surprised at how amazing the room was. The bridal suite was also fabulous. What really got us was how lovely and accommodating the staff were. There was nothing too big or too small for Rhona and Chris to deal with before the Wedding and on the night everyone made us and all our guests feel like royalty! I knew in the build up to my Wedding I had nothing to worry about at all. The staff were in contact saying everything was under control and emailing to remind me of things I may have forgotten. The menu tasting was an event in itself. We were spoilled for choice. I had a lot of guests with Dietary Requirements (including myself) and these were catered for to the best standard I have ever received. Every guest was blown away with our wedding room and with how gorgeous the food was. Everything was 5 star quality. We got a beautiful gift from the hotel as well upon arrival and we had so much bubbly brought to our suite through out our stay. The breakfast the next morning was delicious and again was accompanied by more bubbly. 6 months on I am still hearing about how beautiful the room was, how lovely the staff were and how delicious the food was. I can not recommend it enough. If it was not on your list of places to view I would add it to the list. It is great for all types of weddings, especially vintage. I hope this helps in your quest for the right venue for the perfect day!

Maeve and Oliver - September 2014

We got married in September 2014. We chose The Ambassador hotel as our venue for both the ceremony and the wedding celebration. From our very first contact with the hotel right through to the day itself, we found the wedding team at The Ambassador to be extremely helpful and very efficient. We had a Humanist ceremony in one function room and the meal and after party in the other. Both rooms looked fantastic on the day. The quality of the food was very high and there were plenty of options to choose from. All of our guests enjoyed the day and were very happy with the meal and afters food choices. The Bridal suite is beautifully decorated and the other rooms are also of a very high standard. The management have continued to upgrade the hotel over the past year and the foyer and bar areas are also very impressive. All in all we were extremely happy that we chose The Ambassador hotel for our wedding and would recommend it to anyone looking for somewhere a little bit different for their big day. Thanks to Rhona, Alan, Tim and all the team at The Ambassador for making our day so special and stress free and for all the little extra touches that were much appreciated.

Siobhan & Robert McCarthy 01st February 2014

Having searched for our dream wedding venue for what seemed like an eternity we had almost resided to the fact that we would never find it and we nearly gave up. It was a cold, wet winters day when first stepped foot into the hotel to have a look around and we were instantly captivated by its intimacy and old world style. We didn't even have an appointment to view the hotel, we just went up there on a whim hoping that the staff would let us have a look around. To our great surprise we welcomed with open arms and the fantastic Gillian showed us the venue and discussed everything they had to offer. Instantly we were hooked, the hotel was perfect, a country house full of vintage charm right in the heart of the city. We thought we would have to travel miles to find a venue like this but thankfully it was right on our doorstep the whole time. I think in total I spent about 20 minutes in the wedding car going from my house to the Church and then to the Ambassador. This gave us loads of time to enjoy our day with our friends and families. Rhona the events coordinator and Chris the manager could not have been more helpful throughout the whole process. We ended up changing our wedding date and it was absolutely no problem to them, they were so reassuring. Rhona was amazing and was the best events/ wedding coordinator I could have asked for, no task was to great for her. It's hard to put into words how wonderful she is at her job. Everything was done to perfection and the prepared to the finest detail. Chris, Rhona, Gillian and Alan were all there to give us a big welcome when we arrived at the hotel on our wedding day. The food was faultless and flawless. The best meal we have ever eaten. The chef, kitchen staff and waiting staff were fabulous. All of our guests had a great day and lots of them even said it was the best venue/ wedding they had ever been to. We couldn't be more grateful to the Ambassador Hotel family for giving us the most amazing day of our lives.

James & Regina—Wedding date 2nd January 2014

We celebrated our wedding in the Ambassador Hotel on January 2nd 2014. We had made advanced enquiries with a number of hotels and it was only by chance that we called in for a coffee but immediately were taken with the intimacy and charm of the hotel. After meeting with Gillian and dealing with Rhona, Alan and Chris, we were very happy to select the Ambassador as our venue. The wedding team couldn't be more helpful and facilitated all our needs and requests which allowed for a relaxed atmosphere in all the preparations. With the unique mix of nationalities and cultures, the hotel staff blended in seamlessly and everyone felt very welcome and comfortable. It was just after New Year so there was still a special feel with all the decorations and seasonal Christmas atmosphere. Once the party arrived at the hotel, EVERYTHING just went perfectly - the reception, meals, evening food, lighting, music, all the little details. As we write this, the memories bring big smiles to our faces. All our guests were singing the praises of the hotel on the day and at breakfast the following morning. We enjoyed the sumptuous bridal suite for two nights before continuing on our honeymoon. We are so very happy to have chosen the Ambassador for our wedding and are very grateful to all the staff for making it a wonderful experience for ourselves and our families. We're already looking forward to returning for our first anniversary. We certainly would recommend the hotel to any couple planning their wedding. It offers very competitive packages without compromising on quality or service. The hotel delivered on every promise and assurance. Kind regards, James and Regina

Joanne & David McCall—Wedding 2nd August 2014

We would just like to thank you most sincerely for the most magical day ever. From start to finish our wedding day was just beautiful. The Ambassador is simply gorgeous, fresh, clean with a lovely vintage feel. The staff were just so friendly and helpful that everyone commented on how lovely they all were. The meal was perfect and the dining room was breathtaking with a beautiful fairy-light backdrop. There are so many things to mention but one I will mention, the sweet trolley!! everyone loved it! We had a few musical interludes and at first were not sure if the hotel could accommodate this but again, not a problem! we were treated as if we were the only couple ever to get married at the hotel which feels very nice, after all so much work goes into planning a wedding that after all the hard work it's the best feeling ever when everything goes to plan. The next day we were treated to another night in the bridal suite, no matter what we wanted it was there, all our guests were delighted with the day and a lot of our guests had booked in overnight and were all very pleased. We would recommend the Ambassador Hotel so highly and we will always remember the hotel with great fondness. Can't wait to visit again for a meal and a chat.

Catherine & Martin Dorney - 5th October 2013

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the staff at the Ambassador Hotel for ensuring our wedding day was the most memorable day of our lives. Your gracious hospitality was so appreciated, your staff are a credit to you and a wonderful asset to the hotel. Your hotel is truly beautiful and elegant and the vintage style is simply amazing and it would almost make you forget that you are still in the heart of the city.

From the moment we arrived to view the hotel to the moment we arrived on our wedding dayand were greeted with a couple of glasses of champagne we were met with some of the nicest and professional people we have ever met (bearing in mind we had viewed at least 50% of corks hotels before choosing the Ambassador), Rhona was a gem to work with and the girls on reception were always a pleasure to deal with.

On the day the room décor was amazing, the food was simply first class and everyone else had nothing but good things to say about the food also. In particular the kids menu came in for great praise due to its high quality.The staff were very attentive and I still hear people talking about Graham especially who was so helpful and made an effort to make a personal connection with everyone, as well as having an intuitive understanding of what people would need. The other servers were also fantastic and attentive to all our guest’s needs. The manager on duty Alan was absolutely outstanding both that day & the following dayshe looked after everything for us with no request being too big.

The bridal suite was amazing I have to admit we were gutted we had to leave it, we could easily of stayed there for weeks just for the fantastic view of Cork City alone.

We have no hesitation in saying that the Ambassador did not just reach our expectations, they blew them away.There are no two ways about it was a great day so thank you for making that happen.

Donna & Tim - August 2013

We wanted to get in touch to thank you both - and all the Ambassador staff - for everything you did in the run-up to our wedding in August and on the day itself. Even though I’m from near Cork, I’d never heard of the Ambassador, and we only discovered it when doing venue prep for our wedding. We checked out all the usual Cork venues before the Ambassador, and immediately on arriving at your hotel we knew it was for us: it’s off the beaten track, but still central; has bags of character and charm (and a really interesting history); has a warm, cosy atmosphere; and, most importantly, all the staff we met were absolutely lovely.

Every query and request we had when organising the wedding was dealt with efficiently and thoughtfully. We organised the wedding from abroad, and having practical, efficient people on hand to help us was fantastic. Later guests and family told us how many of them had separately been in touch with queries and requests of their own, all of which were dealt with as quickly as ours were. We had brought extra bits and bobs with us for the reception decor, and everything was taken and displayed in the best possible way – the end result being that the reception room on the day looked stunning!

The food was fabulous, and there was plenty of it (a big tick for an Irish wedding!), and we had loads of comments afterwards about how much people enjoyed it. We have 190 guests, and everyone was served really quickly, without big gaps in the service – a well-oiled machine! You were very accommodating about our menu and the fact that we wanted choices throughout, and we felt that it was great value for money. (We had Chicken & Mushroom Fricassée in a puff-pastry case, or Grilled Goat’s Cheese on Foccacia bread for starter; veg soup or chowder for second course; Roast Stuffed Leg of Wicklow Lamb or Monkfish Medallions for main; ending with a medley of four desserts). The vegetarian option was Fresh Tagliatelle with Wild Mushroom, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Pine Nuts & a Red Pesto Cream.) We had guests with a range of dietary requirements, and all were accommodated without problem.

The bridal suite was gorgeous – after 2 nights we were almost ready to move into it – and so many other guests remarked on their own rooms, and how much character they had. We heard lots of comments too about how spacious they were, with many friends and family saying they’d be back for a little getaway in the future.

After an-almost 5am finish for us (and later for some – thank you resident-bar staff/Don the porter!), we were awoken the next morning in our lovely suite to a gorgeous champagne breakfast. A lovely touch was that a couple of the yellow roses from our centre pieces had been held back to accompany this, along with our table-name marker (we have a slightly literary theme, and all the tables were named after books) – a very small touch, but one that really stood out for being so thoughtful. Like the Friday night, when a lot of our guests were about, the Sunday morning saw lots of people having breakfast at different times – all managed brilliantly. Staff even took time to get me numerous honey and lemon teas to attempt to restore my lost voice! And after a fab Sunday party at my parents’, a big gang of us descended back on the Sunday night – again to be looked after spectacularly. Don, the above-mentioned porter, got rave reviews from the lads for his banter and great Guinness-pouring skills!!

We want to provide a balanced review, and so to mention a couple of negatives: when we booked the hotel, we were shown a room on the same floor as the reception room as where we’d have a post-dinner champagne reception. At a later date, we were then told it had been booked out to another party and we’d have to have the drinks receptions in the downstairs main bar instead. The party in this room had access to our reception-room toilets (which we didn’t know before the wedding would be the case – and extra annoying as they were incredibly generous in helping themselves to our comfort-basket goodies!), and a few of their guests tried to enter our wedding, amongst other issues. (Tip: if booking a wedding at the hotel, we recommend that it’s on the basis this room won’t be booked out to another party on the night.) Also the spa/health club part of the hotel was closed, and guests hadn’t been notified, so many had brought clothes with them in expectation of using it.

But back to the good stuff! Overall we had a fantastic experience, and again, a huge thank you for everything – the Ambassador is a small hotel with a big heart and bags of charm, and we’re already looking forward to our return to celebrate our first-year anniversary.

“My fairy tale wedding venue” - New Years Eve 2013

I had my wedding in the Ambassador Hotel on New Years Eve 2013. I was a bit apprehensive about choosing this venue to begin with as it's not as modern as some of the other central cork hotels. My view was totally changed from the moment I went to my first meeting there. There are not enough words in the dictionary to describe how helpful, warm and genuine the staff were from start to finish. They met every single one of my bridezilla demands, no matter how big or small they were. They advised me in every single aspect and were so helpful and genuinely interested.

The day itself exceeded my wildest dreams, I had kept it together for the whole morning and during the ceremony and it was only when I walked into the Bellevue suite that the tears started to flow. I have been imagining walking into my wedding reception with my new husband for 13 years and nothing could have prepared me for the magical room that was in front of me. Chris, Rhona and Alan truly outdid themselves, it was breathtaking and even my new husband was dumbfounded (trust me when I say it takes a lot to excite him).

The decor of the whole hotel really tied in with my vintagey style wedding, from the moment we entered I knew we had made the best choice. The drinks reception was perfect as were the pre dinner canapés, scrumptious. Dinner itself was faultless and the staff, outstanding. Huge thanks especially to graham who served the top table. All of our guests were raving at how yummy the food was and how warm and friendly the staff were.

They had everything cleared promptly so the real party could start and were there through the whole night if I had any questions/ demands and more importantly did everything I asked of them throughout the night.

The bridal suite was beautiful, the view of cork city is spectacular. we received a gift from the hotel of personalised bathrobes with our names and wedding dates on them. We stayed the following night also and even though there was a wedding the day we left, the staff at the ambassador still made us feel like the priority couple. I would have no hesitation in recommending this hotel to anyone, even if you are just staying overnight, you will be guaranteed superb service, a beautiful room and a stunning country feel hotel in the heart of cork city. If I could give 100 stars I would!!

The food just blew everyone away,

“Best day ever!!” - December 2013

Had my wedding at the Ambassdor before Christmas. From the moment i was introduced to the management and staff, i knew this was the right choice. The food was exceptional on the day as was the service. Couldn't fault them on one thing for the whole 12 months in the lead up to the wedding. Chris and Rhona were fantastic with all the orgnisation and the whole day really exceeded my expectations. Every one of my guests rooms were immaculate, didnt hear one complaint from anyone. Fantastic views of the city. Every request was dealt with within minutes, and nothing was too much trouble. All my guests are still talking about this place it really felt like home from home. Big shout out to Graham, who looked after us on the day, he really was amazing. It's really the perfect spot in cork for a night away or your big day. !! Thanks Guys

Kieran & Sheila “Gave us a great wedding day!” - January 2013

We chose to have our wedding here, in the Ambassador Hotel, Cork, in September, 2012. From our first investigatory visit all the way up to when we left two days after our wedding, we were made to feel welcome, no issue was insurmountable and the quality of what was delivered from staff was second to none. We'd looked at a number of hotels around Cork but, when it came to our own particular set of requirements, the Ambassador Hotel matched them most closely. It was also in no small way helped by the fact that the lovely Holy Family Church is just across the way from the hotel which helped massively with both our own and our guests' convenience on the big day; the hotel should really use this as more of a selling point. We weren't planning a big wedding but, like everything else, it ended up being much bigger than we originally envisaged and any changes we made were easily accommodated by the hotel staff - this included last minute changes to the guest list due to the uncertainty surrounding some of our relatives and friends who were seriously ill near the time of the wedding: the hotel's flexibility here really took any stress out of the situation. We were able to put together our own menu and package proposal based on the hotel's existing offerings and, when it came down to it, we really got outstanding value for money. Our menu comprised warm goat's cheese served on toasted ciabatta with sun-dried tomato tapenade, carrot and coriander soup, slow sirloin of beef or sea bass or risotto fritter and a medley of four desserts. I'd heard that the food in the hotel was good before I ever went there and I'm delighted to able to say that the standard was high in both our tasting menu evening and on the day itself with the goat's cheese and the beef coming in for particular positive mention from a number of people that I talked to. The day (and night) went off without a hitch with staff keeping us updated as to what was going on, when it was happening and so on and, as a sign of how good a day we were having, the band had to ask us if we were ready to start nearly an hour after they were due to; we just hadn't noticed that it was that late! After an evening of dancing and celebrating (oh, and eating again - the evening food was also delicious!), we enjoyed the relative relaxation of the residents' bar before retiring to the luxurious bridal suite which, because we got married on the Saturday, was ours for both the Saturday and Sunday night. It was lovely to have our champagne breakfast with the great views from the bay windows in the suite which overlook much of the panorama of the city centre. A huge thanks to all the staff that we dealt with: Chris, Patricia, Roy, Alan, Don and all the others whose names I've forgotten - you were all truly friendly and professional throughout our dealings with you and we loved every minute of it. The Ambassador may not be the most modern or most stylish hotel, it may not have the biggest car park or be the most centrally located, it may not have the biggest ballroom or the fanciest gardens BUT it has a wonderful charm, comfort, plushness and elegance of its own, it has a wonderful set of staff, it has ample servings of extremely tasty food, it's a short downhill walk to the city centre (though you're way home might be a little harder :) ), the Guinness is good, it has a can-do attitude, it offers tremendous value for money and, the biggest thumbs-up of all, if we were getting married again tomorrow then we'd go straight back there in a heartbeat! Cheers guys - you may be "only" a four-star but you'll get 5 stars here from us!

Deirdre & Phillip O'Neill - "30th of November 2012"

Sorry I am so late emailing you but I was up the walls with honeymoon and Christmas. We got married in the ambassador on the 30th of nov 2012 and I just want to say a massive thank you. I haven't stopped talking about how kind and friendly all the staff were and how gorgeous the hotel is. You were a massive help leading up to the wedding and on the day everyone was so helpful. I had one or two problems and when I asked you and the staff to help it was sorted straight away. All the guests couldn't get over how beautiful the food was and loved the fact everyone got asked did they want a second helping. I can not stop talking about our experience with the hotel and all the staff. I well always recommend your hotel to stay in and if anyone is looking for a hotel in cork to get married I would highly recommend this hotel. Thank you again so much for making sure it was the happiest day of our lives.